Abilene High School student Felicity Jones has been presented with the 2026 Staff Sgt. Jeremy D. Smith Exemplary Service Award, a media release said.
She and four other Texas JROTC students have been honored with the award, according to a media release from Concerned Veterans for America Foundation.
CVA created the award in honor of Smith, who had multiple combat deployments to his name while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps when he died in the line of duty April 6, 2011, in Afghanistan.
The award is presented to cadets “who distinguished themselves throughout the year through academic achievement, community service, and citizenship,” the media release said.
This is the third year for the award which recognized students from across the state. The organization plans to expand eligibility nationwide.
Angela Jander, the CVAF grassroots engagement director, congratulated all five awardees for their commitment to veterans, their academic studies, leadership and patriotism. In the release, she singled Jones out especially.
“JROTC cadets are already in a league of their own, but Felicity took it a step further to show what it means to serve,” Jander said. “Her hard work and dedication to her studies and community is a direct reflection of the commitment to duty and country SSgt Jeremy D. Smith exemplified.”
The four other awardees are:
The award was created to highlight dedicated JROTC cadets and encourage their continued development in leadership, engagement and success. Awardees are offered a trip to Washington, D.C., to be recognized and afforded the chance to learn more about the foundations of the nation.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene student wins JROTC service award
Reporting by Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
